St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-31
A PENNSYLVANIA PLATFORM
To Be Presented by the Young
Democratic Battalion.

ALLENTOWN, Pa, Aug. 30.-The
following platform of the young Demo-
cratic battalion of Philadelphia, will be
presented by Mr.. Vaux upon the as
sembling of the Democratic state con-
VentiOn tomorrow:
There is but one political party in the
United States which is the traditional repre-
sentative of Democratic principles There
cannot be two sets of principles or a many
sided policy existing in this party. Those
who resist the aftirmance of the cardinal
principles of the Democracyare not Democrats
and are not worthy of their Acknowledgement
or support These traditional principles
are known. jefferson asserted them, and
their confirmation by Madison, Jackson,
Polk and Cleveland have canonized them as
essential to the integrity of the Democratic
party Among these time e-honored and inde-
structible doctrines are the inherent rights of
the states, the limited and granted powers to
the federal government within which con-
stitutional limitation the federal authorities
can alone act. The power of congress to
levy duties on foreign made products, to
raise revenue for the support OF federal
government, is plain and positive, as also
to levy taxes, imports ana excuses, all or
which are powers granted to congress by the
states by the federal constitution and these
powers include legislation for the payment
Of the public debt and pensions to those who
have earned them. These powers granted to
congress aTG amply lOI dll LILO
needs of the people. To enlarge them by
judicial construction or legislative usurpa-
ton is open violation of the organic law on
which our federal government relies for its
existence and which the Democratic party IL
pledged to maintain. A tax for the support
of the government is absolutely necest
sary This tax is called the tariff. All
the money necessary for the support and
maintenance of the government, the army
and navy, the civil list and the payment Of
the public debt and pensions, must be sup
piled by tariff tax as least obnoxious to the
public sentiment against direct taxation.
tax to protect the manufacturers only and
force the laborers to strike for their share
of this protection is not within the purpose
of the tariff tax and is an abuse OF the duty
to make laws for the greatest good
to- the greatest number. The I'M
mense surplus now in the federal treasury
and daily increasing from taxation by federal
law is positive evidence of the abuse of such
legislation. To relieve by law the people
from the burden of this tax, levied without
justice or reason, it is the paramount duty OF
whisky as the least Objectionable of all taxes
for internal revenue by imposts or excise
laws We endorse the opinion of President
Cleveland in his message to congress: II
recommend that the increasing and unnec-
essary surplus of national revenue annually
accumulated be released to the people by an
amendment to our revenue laws which shall
cheaper the price of necessaries of living
and give freer entrance to such imported
material as Dy American labor may be manu-
factured into marketable comodities.
Legislation which encourages American
industry within the specific power granted to
Congress to levy duties Oh foreign products
is wise and patriotic, and such legislation
most surely reaches this result when it gives
to industry increased material, as well as
facilities for its employment, and enables it
to overcome foreign competition and stlmu-
late the skill, enterprise and ingenuity of the
American mechanic True American states
manship discourages all legislation which in
terteres with the liberty of individual action.
unless it assails the rights or puts in peril the
to enforce by law questions of morals is
without the sanction Of equal justice to all
men.